6 



Prince Maocimilian's 



much smaller than the common kind, and without any red colour; 

 it was doubtless the same which Bosc has described in the 

 second volume of his Histoire naturelle des Vers. This animal 

 appeared in vast numbers. The heat which we experienced at 

 noon in these regions was most oppressive, and a single cup of tea 

 threw ug into strong perspiration. On the contrary, the nights 

 Were always of an agreeable temperature, and the light of the moon 

 and stars was delightful. We now saw great quantities of fucus, 

 plants of various kinds, fragments of trees, &c. and on the after- 

 noon of the 14th. we gained sight of the promontory called Cabo 

 Frioy with the little rocky island that lies before it. It was now 

 seventy days since we had sailed from Gravesend, and we had yet 

 a short voyage to perform ere we could reach Rio de Janeiro. In 

 the morning we doubled Caho Frio with a favourable wind, and 

 on the löth of July, we came in sight of the southern coast of 

 Brazil, where the promontory separates the southern and eastern 

 coasts. A brisk gale now agitated the sea, which here, as well as 

 along the coasts of Europe, is tinged with a dark green hue. The 

 hills of Brazil, which are of the most beautiful and varied forms, 

 covered with verdure and trees, extend in an uninterrupted line 

 along the coast. The primary mountains which we past, presented 

 a singular variety of forms, being frequently conical or pyramidical; 

 the clouds were descending over their summits, and a light fog or 

 mist gave them a beautiful soft colour. At noon in the shade, and 

 with a gentle wind, the thermometer stood at 19* Reamur (75 ,: Fah- 

 renheit), and during a calm which ensued in the evening, it wasat 17 

 Reamur. The wind afterwards became more brisk, the ship sailed 

 swiftly, and on the succeeding morning, we arrived at the mouth 

 of the Rio de Janeiro. 



During the calm, we continued for a considerable time tacking 

 about, and made but little way. Before us lay the opening on the 

 coast which leads to the city of Bio de Janeiro ; In this opening 

 there are numerous small rocky islands, some of which are very 

 curiously shaped, and together with the distant clusters of hills 

 along the coast, present a highly picturesque prospect. Among 

 these hill , the sugar-loaf \Pao de Assucar) is distinguished 

 on the left by its conical form, and on the opposite side appears 

 the point of land on which stands the fort of Santa Cruz, erected 

 for the protection of the capital. 



About 11 o'clock the wind became calm, and the progress of 

 the ship was scarcely perceptible, though all our sails were up. 

 J)uring this tedious interval we resolved to visit one of the rocky 

 islands which Were within sight. The captain, with a few sailors, 

 got into the boat, and two of the passengers besides myself, ac- 

 companied them. After rowing for about half an hour, we lost 

 sight of the Janus, and arrived at the Ilha raza^ the level island^ 

 so called to distinguish it from the Ilha rotunda. But here we 



